Thursday, June 30, 2005

The American Heritage Dictionary defines God as “A being conceived as the perfect, omnipotent, omniscient originator and ruler of the universe, the principal object of faith and worship in monotheistic religions.”

Isn’t that nice and vague? So if the dictionary is of little help to us to understand who God is, where do we turn? Some people believe you can’t use the Bible as a reliable source to prove the existence of God. I don’t see why not. Find me something in the Bible and prove it didn’t happen. Prove to me that God isn’t who He says He is.

So, who is God? The New Testament tells us that God is love (1 John 4:8), and man that just about does it for me! How do we know we can trust God, can we believe His promises? Well, let us examine Him. How can we trust someone we don’t know? Well, I’d say it is time to get to know the G-man.

How do you get to trust a person in your life? By looking at their track record, if they say they are going to do something, or that they believe something and act to the contrary then it becomes increasingly difficult to trust them. But if they do what they say, then each time it becomes easier to believe them. So, you could use the same principle and apply it to God. Look at His word, examine it. Find some promises and follow up. Did God keep His word?

In Genesis we find Abraham and Sarah, married and childless. Sarah was well past the age of having children, yet God made a covenant with Abraham and promised that his offspring would be as numerous as the stars. Fairly unbelievable, yet at the tender age of 100 Abraham became a father to the child Sarah had carried. And sure enough, a few generations down the line his decedents became the heads of the tribes of Israel.

Also, God told Abraham that his decedents would be “strangers in a foreign land, and they will be oppressed as slaves for four hundred years. But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and in the end they will come away with great wealth.” (Genesis 15:-13-14) So what do you think? Are Abraham’s decedents slaves for 400 years? You can bet your last dollar that God was telling the truth, just remember the story of Moses (Exodus 12) and the plagues.

In Mark 9:31 Jesus tells his disciples that, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead.” His disciples didn’t understand at the time, but God is a promise keeper. We needed a sacrifice to atone our sins and He sent Jesus to be that sacrifice. Even through out the book of Isaiah there are promises of Israel’s redemption, that He would be “led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth....For His life is taken from the earth.” (Isaiah 53:7,8 NKJV)

Later in Mark 14:43-49 Judas betrays Jesus, Jesus is taken away tried in an unjust court and sentenced to death. He is unjustly sentenced to death yet refrains from defending Himself (Luke 23:9 NKJV); He was beaten, mocked, crucified, died, and three days later He rose again. Mary Magdalene was the first to see Jesus after the resurrection (Mark 16:9 NLT), but she was soon followed by two people walking (Mark 16:12-13) and then to the disciples (John 20:19, John 20:24-29, John 21)

For those of you who really don’t want to trust the Bible, I can prove from my own life that God is a promise keeper. When I was a baby, less than a year old, I was severely burned. I had 2nd and 3rd degree burns all over my body, as well as severe brain damage. The doctors didn’t expect me to pull through, they performed at least two surgeries and informed my mother that on the off chance that I did make it I would be brain damaged for the rest of my life and would continue to need surgeries annually to repair the damage from the burns. After such a bleak diagnosis I was taken to a prayer meeting where I was prayed over. I had a tent full of people interceding for a miracle, for healing.

I can stand here today and tell you God is a God of healing, He is true to His word, and He says in numerous places through out the Bible that if you believe & ask then it shall be (Matthew 9:18-31 alone has two cases of people being healed because they believed and one girl being brought back from the dead because her father believed it could happen). Since that time I have only had one surgery my entire life to repair the damage from the burns, and with the exception of my right leg you would never even know anything had ever happened to me, and there has been no brain damage since that intercession!

So, by following God's promises and reading on we see He follows through on those promises. And ultimately He will prove Himself above all for the final time. I long for the return of Christ. I trust Him because He's proven Himself time and time again and soon He will put every doubt of His character to rest.

**Ok, so I've been working on this series for months now, and sadly my own marriage isn't working out, but I feel like what I have to say is still valid. And perhaps even more so now b/c I've seen something that could be beautiful utterly fail.**

Why do people get married? Why would you want to swear to spend the rest of your life with another person?

“Because we need a witness to our lives. There’s a billion people on the planet, I mean what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage you’re promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things, all of it, all the time, everyday. You’re saying, ‘Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go unwitnessed, because I will be your witness.’”

This raises an interesting concern, at some point in every person’s life they feel tiny, unnoticed, insignificant (at least in every person I’ve met anyway). We spend our time wandering around feeling alone. It can be a rather depressing situation if you don’t know God. Which is why God is so fantastic. When we chose to sin, we broke our relationship with God, we used to talk to God, to walk with Him, and then we got cut off. But He gave us a way to fix that, Jesus Christ can reconnect us, but to also help with the loneliness God gave man a companion.

Out of Adam’s side He created Eve. What is the significance of woman coming from man’s side? Where is the rib cage? It is under the arm, along the side of the body. Why did God in His ultimate wisdom create woman from that part of the body? Why not from the foot, or the head, or even from the dust as He had created man?

Eve was to be Adam’s partner, his help mate. She was there to support him. She was created out of his side so that he might lean on her when needed, and so that she could lean on him. Together they would walk arm in arm. Why not out of dust? Because together, they are whole. Even with all that God blessed him with Adam still was missing something, he still was not whole. Creating her from him shows us that without our partner we are always missing a part of us.

“Do you remember what you told the kids about falling in love? The wonderful thing about falling in love is that you learn everything about that person . . . And if it is true love then you start to see yourself through their eyes. It brings out the best in you. Its almost as if you’re falling in love with yourself.”

This is such an interesting idea; that loving someone can cause you to love yourself, to see yourself in a new way. The concept can really extend far beyond any kind of human love. Yes, this can happen between friends (A good friend makes you feel better about yourself, don’t they? Just being around that friend makes you feel better, why? Because you are loved and accepted. But it is more than just feeling good; a true friend will give it to you straight. If you want to know if you are off base about something ask a friend, they should be more than willing to tell you if you are wrong in a loving way. A true love often inspires us to be a better person, we want to be who they think we are, we don’t want to let the ones we love down). Yes, this happens between husbands and wives, or it should at any rate. But the ultimate demonstration of this is the love God has for us.

God loves us as we are, but that is only the beginning. He wants us to grow into what we were meant to be. Loving, caring citizens of His Church. He takes us as we are, broken and lost and feeling unloved, rejected, and utterly dead inside, but. He does not leave us there. How could He?

You want the best for the people you love, you can often see that they are not as they should be, are doing something they shouldn’t be doing, or simply can see beyond the current situation they are facing. Would you leave your child in the middle of the street with a car racing around the corner? No, you love them and care for them, and would do everything in your power to get them to safety. You often can see your child as they were meant to be, not necessarily as they are at this moment and you guide them hoping to help them to what they were created for.

God is like that. And when you come to know Christ, really know Him and begin to grow in Him you’ll begin to see yourself through His eyes. You’ll see yourself as loved and adored by the only perfect thing to ever exist. You’ll begin to understand that we were never meant to just exist, to live and die; rather, we were created out of love to love. To love God, to love others (even the unlovely people), and to love ourselves.

I’m not talking about unhealthy love for oneself, full of pride and arrogance, I’m talking about loving ourselves the way we were made to. We are to love ourselves with the understanding that though we are sinners, though we may mess up, we are still worthy of love, still capable of love, we are each worth dying for. But more than that, we are worth living for, we are called to love others more than ourselves and be servants to each other. We all have needs, and God calls us to help each other meet those needs in love.

As Veggie Tales puts it, “Loving means lending a hand.”

Biblical Example: Ruth

Ruth knew how to love, she cared for the people in her life. Even after the death of her husband she cared for his mother. His mother was a widow, and then both her sons died. For all intents and purposes she was alone in the world. She dismissed her two daughter in laws, “And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.” (Ruth 1:8 KJV)

Yet Ruth stayed with her, she left her native country behind, left her family behind, and traveled on with Naomi saying, “Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God”(Ruth 1:16)

And so they traveled on, and Ruth lived with Naomi, and worked to feed her mother in law, and eventually when she did remarry she gave her first born son to Naomi to raise (Ruth 4:13-16) so that the name of Naomi’s lost ones would live on.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Ok, I've never been one for shopping. And those of you who really know me just screamed "DUH" at your computers, I know you did I heard it.

Anyway, Julianne has messed me up, since I had her in December I've spent more time in stores than I care to admit. But only shopping for the kids or Chris. Yesterday the kids and I went out with my friend Kristin and her two kids. We spent 5 hours shopping, hit only 3 stores, and then I went out again today. It's crazy. Oh, but I finally own an ironing board, before this I just ironed on my kitchen table. And with the exception of maybe 3 outfits and the ironing board all the stuff bought was for me.

And I hate shopping (another DUH), well anyway I did. It's growing on me. I didn't run though the stores yesterday grabbing what I needed and leaving as quickly as possible. It was a new experience for me. I browsed. Can you believe it? Oh, and I've got a major thing about trying clothes on, I never do it because I get nervous. Well, I tried on LOTS of clothes yesterday. And I quit having panic attacks about half way through the shopping spree. So yay! I can function in stores now. I think.

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Seriously, why does Jesus love me? You wouldn't believe how much He is blessing me. I cannot begin to explain what a wonderful and loving God Christ is. It's funny, today actually was stressful for me in certain ways (a friend unknowingly is forcing me out of my shell about certain things) and I wanted to, and did, cry a lot today. And yet after I got the kids down I just felt so good about myself.

Like heavy load has been unburdened. I wish I could make you all understand, but it would take forever to do so. So all I can hope, and pray for, is that each of you would be equally aware of His blessings. Even the hard times are blessings looking back on them. They are an oppertunity to grow and mature in His love. The trials of this life are a great way of seeing His hand at work. Yes the good things are to, but what is it that Vanilla Sky said? Something like, the sweet just ain't as sweet without the sour. And it's the truth.

Saturday, June 25, 2005

Ok, so William loves V.T. because Larry is silly. And that's ok, because as he gets older he'll start getting something more out of it. So I buy him a video once a week, it's his treat. But it is a treat for me as well. It seems like, though they are definitely geared for kids, I'm getting a lot out of them spiritually right now.

So, we got Esther tonight. I'd never seen it before. HOLY COW. Man, they did a great job with this one. The animation, the script, THE MUSIC...Seriously if you haven't seen this one you need to. Anyway, like I said, I'm getting a lot out of the movies.

Here's what I got this time:

Tell me why, I don't understand.Tell me why, or show me your hand.Tell me why because I can't see my way through What now...should I...do

The battle is not oursWe look to God above~For he will guide us safely throughand guard us with his love

I will not be afraidI will not run and hide~For there is noting I can't facewhen God is at my sideNo, there is nothing I can't facewhen God is at my side

The battle is not oursWe look to God aboveFor he will guide us safely throughand guard us with his love

This is absolutely beautiful. The lyrics are fantastic, it has this haunting melody, and then the score just tops it off. I think this is one of the best songs I've ever heard for a movie. And the fact that it is for a kid's movie makes it even more special!

Friday, June 24, 2005

Please note, the point of the beauty post is not that we should completely withdraw from the world, nor is it that Christ died on the cross only to make me feel pretty. The point is that this world's perception of beauty is skewed and unattainable, and that God loves us for who we are and that our spirits are beautiful. Physical beauty fades, it's all about the spirit here.

Christ died on the cross so that we might have life, and life to the fullest, so why shouldn't that fact touch us and help us to realize that we're beautiful? Yes, beauty is less important than realizing Christ died for our salvation, but what are we to do? Just say "Thanks Jesus for saving my soul, now I'm going to buy a copy of Cosmo to see how to make myself beautiful!" He wants to transform us, inside and out. He wants to transform us, but if we don't surrender ourselves to His power He's not going to force us to change...Which means we could continue on chasing the airbrushed beauty and continue to feel broken, dejected, and empty inside.

Thursday, June 23, 2005

I got home from a friend's & put the kids to bed and just sat on the floor and cried because I'm having a bit of a problem with Chris not being home and missing him today. I felt so lost right then, I was doubting everything about the situation and I just asked Him "what do I do?" And then the first thing I opened my Bible to was Psalm 62.

I tell you God just blows my mind on a daily basis. I thought whoever reads this might get a kick out of it. He just keeps showing me things about waiting on Him and trusting in Him at all times. That seems to be the theme as of late. It's really neat.

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

I was listening to a message on VCY America about godly beauty earlier and found it to be very interesting. It deals with how we as women deal with worldly beauty vs biblical beauty. It discusses how we, as believers, have let the world's view of beauty effect us in a negative way. Regina Franklin delivers a powerful message on a journey of seeing what the world sees or believing what the Word says about us and beauty.

Roughly she says at one point, My identity is in Christ, and if I'm chasing the world I cannot find my identity in Him...He died so you can know how uniquely He created you...Our beauty was paid for with the blood of Christ.

She discusses how the things we see in advertising campaigns are driven by one thing, the dollar. When we see women on t.v and we feel like in order to be "sexy" and beautiful we have to look or dress certain ways. And we feed ourselves lies, and we chase the impossible airbrushed images of society and wonder why we feel so empty and ugly. Why should we stand in front of the mirror and say to ourselves "I'm fat, I've got big hips, my hair won't do what I want it to"?

I feel like we, as Christian women, should be able to stand in front of that mirror and say to ourselves, "God loves this, God loves me, I am His temple." And as we stand in front of the mirror or in front of other women, or even our daughters, and say derogatory things about ourselves and then wonder why our daughters at such a young age become fixated and influenced by the world's standards. Our youth are our future and our future needs to be protected. Their innocence is important, and precious, and we must fight and guide our children so that they know that they are unconditionally loved. That it doesn't matter what is on the cover of People Magazine, what matters lies between the words of the Bible, what matters lies in Christ and His love for them.

Romans 12:1-2 (emphasis mine)1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

When the thought comes into our minds we have to take hold of the thought, and if it does not line up with what God thinks of us we have to choose to realign ourselves with His word and transform our minds through Him.

"Skin sells and skin is selling well." We can either buy into the message of the world or we can separate ourselves and the Bible makes it clear that we are not of this world.

John 17:16 (King James Version)

16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

It is often difficult as we are constantly bombarded with the perpetuated image of what beauty is. We can't turn the TV on or go to the grocery store without being confronted by worldly beauty. As a Christian woman we are called to aspire to godly beauty, but if we don't daily come to God for strength to resist these images we can & will succumb. We say to ourselves, "I can separate myself, I just won't watch certain shows or read those magazines," but we are told not to put confidence in our flesh (Philippians 3:3).

1 John 2:16 (NKJV)For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world.

Edited 11:53pm on Wednesday

When we become consumed by what is in the mirror we cannot begin to understand who we are in Christ. We have to lay down the idolatry and turn to God for our identity. We are suffering as a society from an identity crisis, we seem to forget so easily who we are. Who brought us back from emptiness & death; we so desperately long for affirmation that it costs us the understanding that comes when we become the women God created us to be.

He did not create 16 million "Sally"s or 50,000 "Sarah"s. He created me, Kristina Marie Hansen, and He created you. You are an individual, as am I, and God doesn't want you to be Jennifer Aniston, Katie Holmes, Angelina Jolie, or even the pastor's wife at your church. He wants YOU! He wants ME!

I am beautiful, I may not always feel that way but I know in Christ I am. And in Christ you are. You may feel awkward or geeky or even a bit plump, but here and now understand you are beautiful. You have a choice. You can believe the world who is never satisfied, and you can continue to strive for the airbrushed beauty. Or you can believe God's Word, and know you are worthy of love. You are beautiful, you are worth dying for, and someone loves you so much that He died & rose so that you can know that you are loved!

We so often will search for love and affection and acceptance in relationships with people, even husbands, and get disappointed. In Genesis 29 we meet Leah and her sister Rachel. The Bible tells us that Rachel was rather stunning, while Leah had "pale eyes" and through a twist of events Leah and Rachel both marry the same man, "but because Leah was unloved, the Lord let her have a child, while Rachel was childless." God reached out to this poor woman who was feeling unloved and gave her a son. This was a great act of love on His part, but she didn't seem to realize it and was more concerned with making her husband love her. "The Lord has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me," but he didn't love her. Not the way she wanted him to, and so she had another son, and another, and finally when she gave birth to her fourth son, Judah, she seems to have finally realized that God loves her and she said, "Now I will praise the Lord!"

Can you imagine how loved she must have felt on that day? To have finally realized what God had done in her life, to be able to fall at His feet in the knowledge that she had been loved all along? The tears of joy she must have shed on that day...To understand that God loved her and it didn't matter what other people, including her own husband thought about her - what a great day!

In 1st Samuel we meet Hannah, who though she is loved by her husband still feels unloved and probably very inadequate. Because by society's standards she wasn't up to par, she was barren. Her husband's other wife would often tease Hannah, because she could have children, to the point of tears. Hannah was so consumed by the need for a child that finally after years of trying and years of being disappointed she fell to her knees before God.

"And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head." (1 Samuel 1:11)

And God gave her that son, and I can only imagine the joy she must have felt. Finally, her husband's wife could say nothing more to her. She was no longer a sub-standard citizen in society. God used her desire to show her that she was loved, and because He was faithful to her, she was faithful to Him. She weaned that precious child and brought him to the temple and left him with the priests to be raised and to be a servant to the Lord.

All through out the Bible God chooses to show love and mercy to the unloved, the people society doesn't deem as beautiful or worthy He stretches His loving arms out to receive them. He calls and gives strength to the meek, He blesses the poor, He comforts the hurting, and the people society calls unlovely He loves. And it is only in allowing oneself to realize that beautiful fact that we can really begin to understand who we are, and who God is. It is in knowing God, and rejecting what the world thinks (after all, society doesn't know what it wants. One year it's the in thing to be blonde, the next it is cool to be a brunette), that we can see even the lepers are beautiful.

Monday, June 20, 2005

Erm, so there is a new song entitled "Trust in Me" on the website. I did the guitar and really junky demo vocals (to get the melody out of my head) earlier, the guitar is pretty good, I may redo it, I may not. Actually I'm pretty happy with it. And I just redid the vocals, it's a bit rough but in a good way. Anyway, yes. God is good. :)

Want the lyrics? Good, here's them as they stand now. I may rewrite them a bit.

There is nothing I could say To express the gratitude of my soulYou stooped down and redeemed me,The emptiness hasn't got a grip on me.

You say, "see? I showed youAnd we'll do it again.Pay attention little one.I've given you all you needJust trust in me

Saturday, June 18, 2005

Have you ever read The Message? It is a paraphrase of the Bible by Eugene Peterson.

"It is a bridging of the gap between the original languages and English, and between centuries of time and language change, to bring to us the Bible as it originally sounded."

Here is my problem with The Message, it distorts what God intended. It takes what was originally said and turns it around and makes things, shall we say, less black and white? Sexual immorality doesn't seem so bad in The Message (1 Corinthians 6:9-11), and occult dangers don't seem so scary (2 Thessalonians 2:9)

Rather disturbingly the Lord's Prayer now includes New Age terms. Let us compair Matthew 6:9-13 in The Message to KJV.

Matthew 6:9-13 (The Message, emphasis mine)

9With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:Our Father in heaven,Reveal who you are.10Set the world right;Do what's best--as above, so below.11Keep us alive with three square meals.12Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.13Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.You're in charge!You can do anything you want!You're ablaze in beauty!Yes. Yes. Yes.

Matthew 6:9-13 (King James Version)

9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.10Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.11Give us this day our daily bread.12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Not only does The Message add New Age terms to scripture, but it also removes verses entirely (sadly, this happens in other translations as well), for example if you'll read below, we'll be looking at Acts 8:36-39, there is no verse 37 even in there, and why? Well, because verse 37 tells us that Philip says that if you believe with all your heart you can be baptized and the eunuch answered that he believes Jesus Christ to be the Son of God. Obviously Mr. Peterson didn't feel that verse was worth putting in.

Acts 8:36-39 (The Message)

36As they continued down the road, they came to a stream of water. The eunuch said, "Here's water. Why can't I be baptized?" 38He ordered the chariot to stop. They both went down to the water, and Philip baptized him on the spot. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of God suddenly took Philip off, and that was the last the eunuch saw of him. But he didn't mind. He had what he'd come for and went on down the road as happy as he could be.

Acts 8:36-39 (King James Version)

36And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?37And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.38And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.39And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

The Message sugar coats God's word, it diminshes the peril of being a true believer in Christ and inflates God's promises. It does not accurately put forth what Jesus intended, as demonstrated by John 3:36. God does not tell us that we will have it easy, rather He tells us "Now brother will deliver up brother to death...And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved." (Matthew 10:21, 22 NKJV)

The following verse in The Message, doesn't warn readers of what can happen if you don't believe Christ. It leaves it to one's imagenation. It implies that if you don't believe and trust in Jesus you'll just be left out. That's not what the KJV implies. You don't just get left out of fun stuff, you get the wrath of God.

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36 KJV

"Whoever accepts and trust the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever!" [John 3:36a] THE MESSAGE

My concern is that those who only read The Message will be unprepared for the spiritual attacks that await them as believers. Satan does not want you to believe, he is the author of lies and will do anything to keep you from knowing the truth. Including put forth a "Bible" that makes life seem like it is all sunshine and roses. The Message does not convict the heart as it should, nor does it prepare the believer of things to come. Instead it softens God's word to fit into the world, yet the Bible tells us that we are not of this world (John 15:19-21).

The following verse also shows a distortion in Scripture. The Message says nothing about the Father being greater than anybody, it just says that He is the goal and purpose.

"my Father is greater than I." John 14:28 KJV

"The Father is the goal and purpose of my life." John 14:28 THE MESSAGE

Below is just another example of how The Message makes the bad seem less bad. The KJV tells us that to be carnally minded is DEATH, but The Message does not even come close to putting that idea on paper.

"For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Romans 8:6

"Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life." [Romans 8:6] THE MESSAGE

Yet, another example.

Therefore shall her young men fall in the streets, and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD. Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord God of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee. And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall rise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him. (Jeremiah 50:30-32 KJV)

Jeremiah 50:30-32 (The Message)30And now she pays: her young strewn dead in the streets,her soldiers dead, silent forever." GOD's Decree.31"Do you get it, Mister Pride? I'm your enemy!"Decree of the Master, GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies."Time's run out on you:That's right: It's Doomsday.32Mister Pride will fall flat on his face.No one will offer him a hand.I'll set his towns on fire.The fire will spread wild through the country."

The above verse sure puts things into perspective, God is not just about love and peace, ulitmately that is what will come, but God is a righteous God and humbles the proud! His fire devours evil. Please note that in the above selections the KJV says "for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee" while the Message says "That's right: It's Doomsday ".

The Message says nothing about God coming. Doomsday could mean different things to a different set of people (Doomsday could be bombs dropping, massive flooding, any number of things. But God coming? You know exactly what that means.), each person's perspective could render a different way of looking at this verse, while the KJV leaves nothing to question.

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

I'm stealing my post from the topic, then I'll expand if I have anything else to say. It pretty much says where I'm at in my life though.

Well, santification can be a tough thing. You have to be willing to go through...it's hard to let some things go in order to be santified. Our flesh clings to things, a book, a cd, even a person. But once we know the truth and understand we are free in it, we have something to look forward to. Yes cleansing yourself of certain things/ people can be difficult, but ultimately what more do you need than Christ? ::shrug:: I don't know, I just figure a lot of times we are called and recieve Him, and sadly a lot of times we stay at that point. We say to ourselves, "Well, Christ loves me and it doesn't matter what I'm into because I've accepted Him"

And that is fine, for a time. But if you really want to know God, you have to give up the world. And that can be frightening. But the Bible says "You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons." So what is that to us? Quite obviously you can not be with God and with demons. Does light not cast out darkness? Does water not wash away dirt? So, if we are to truely be of and with God, we can not be with immorality, we can not be evil, ect.

Just my thoughts. Also, I was reading 1 Cor. today and came upon this (chapter 7 verse 34) and I thought it was interesting.

"There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world - how she may please her husband."

This verse speaks to me a lot lately. I feel like I've been living that for quite some time. Putting the needs and desires of a man before God. And while it pains me to not have that man in my life anymore, at least in the way he had been, I'm glad for it. I'm getting back to where I should be. Once this is all behind me I'm going to be such a better person. I'm going to be so much more interesting, because I'm going to be focused on the Lord in such a new way. I already am getting there, and I know this is a life long journey. I'm learning so much, about myself and my interaction with people, and about Christ. I don't know that I would have reached this point without going through what I am right now.

I'm choosing to put aside worldy things. Yes, I'm going to miss certain things b/c they have been dear to me but I know in the end of it all I'm much better off. I want to partake of the Lord, and I can not fully do that until I've purged myself of the world.

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

20And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him.

Can you say wow? It blows my mind at the things God does for us just b/c we trust Him.

Thursday, June 09, 2005

There is a brand new translation of the Bible available, it is a second generation NIV and there is a lot of controversy surrounding it. Some say it is great because it's target is to reach the teens of today, it's been formed to be user friendly and politically correct. So what's the big deal? The Bible isn't supposed to be politically correct, it is supposed to be spiritually correct.

A Bible who wants everyone who reads it to understand and feel included & unjudged? Traditionally the Bible has been something you can turn to to see exactly where God stands on an issue, there is no grey area with God. Wrong is wrong and right is right. Sexual immorality is wrong (1 Timothy 1:10, 1 Corinthians 6:9), the Bible tells us that so many times I've lost count. Murder is wrong, stealing is wrong, homosexuality is wrong (Romans 1:26-27), lust is wrong (Matthew 5:28).

So, if a Bible is making things more accessable to todays youth, what's the problem? One problem lies with the "inclusive language".

"LAWTON: In the TNIV, Mary is now "pregnant," not "with child." Jesus walks on water not during the "fourth watch of the night," but rather "shortly before dawn." In the crucifixion accounts, references to "the Jews" are changed to "Jewish leaders." The most comprehensive changes surround gender. The TNIV uses more inclusive language, beginning in Genesis 1, where instead of saying God created "man" in his own image, the TNIV says God created "human beings" in his own image."

Now, I could swear that man WAS created first and woman was created later out of Adam's side, therefore God created MAN in his image. I've got Genesis 1:27 (NKJV) backing me up, what do they have? A bunch of people who are not being held accountable for what they do. Just because someone has a PhD doesn't mean we take everything they say as gold. You have to do research, just because someone says God doesn't make them a Christian (Matthew 7:21). At best they are a theist who has been decieved, at worst a liar decieving millions. And the worst part is that it can be very difficult in knowing what catagory they would fall into.

As believers in Christ we have the responsibility to test the spirits to see if they are of God (1 John 4:1-3) and to test all teachings against the Word of God, (Acts 17:11). Sadly, a multitude of teachers today tend to allow anything and everything to come through the doors without any attempt to discern the truth. We are called to guard, to watch and to warn those within the church, of the dangers of false teaching, seducing spirits, doctrines of demons, destructive heresies and the philosophies of the world.

"The TNIV was translated by the same independent committee of evangelical scholars who translated the NIV 30 years ago. Professor John Stek, who has worked on Bible translation for 40 years, chairs the committee."

By the same independent committee to me says that they aren't accountable to anyone. If you have no one to answer to you can do what you want. And sadly this happens. People twist the meaning of scripture to fit into their own sinful lives, or ignore it all together. John said "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." (1 John 3:15), yet how many of us hold grudges for months, even years on end? Jesus said to "Agree with your adversary quickly," (Matthew 5:25.)

"More than 100 evangelical leaders and scholars have signed a statement of concern about the TNIV. Much of the opposition has been spearheaded by the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, which criticizes the TNIV's widespread elimination of masculine words such as "he," "his," "brother," "father," and "son."

RANDY STINSON (Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood): If you do that throughout the entire text of the scripture, what you do is you undermine significant things about fathers, about manhood, about brothers, about relationships between men and women, and the way that the Bible fundamentally teaches from cover to cover about the role of men leading in the home, about the role of men leading in the church."

Now, Randy Stinson has hit it dead on. There are things they shouldn't be messed with. I wonder what the TNIV says about the man being the head of the household and that wives are supposed to submit to them and that men are the authority over women? How are they going to get around that one? Obviously women being submissive doesn't sound very P.C., so what shall they do?

7 A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; 9 neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. (1 Corinthians 11:7-9 TNIV)

I guess there was no getting around saying that women came from man there. If you follow the link above you will see that it goes on to confirm that men are supposed to have authority over women (verse 10) because women are the glory of man.

Ephesians 5:22-24 (NKJV) tells "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything."

Now, don't get me wrong. I love the idea of making the Bible more accessable to new believers. I'll admit the KJV can be a bit intimidating when you aren't used to reading it (Though if you get used to it reading Shakespear will be a whole lot easier!) I just have issues with altering God's intent. There has to be a way to clearly express what the original texts said in a language that is accessable to today's youth.

I think that the translators should be held accountable, the people doing the translation should not be an independant committie serving their own agenda, rather they should be serving the people they say they are trying to reach. They should have to put out a Bible that accurately puts forth what God intended, the Bible was never ment to be twisted to fit our needs, we were ment to bend and conform to God's will. And ultimately anyone who distorts God's word will answer to Him (Revelation 22:18).

You'll ultimately have to judge for yourself though, just read the Bible with a heart that is open to God's direction. He'll always give it to you straight so long as you ask (Matthew 7:7-8) so I suggest you just ask for His guidence & discernment as you read.

Thanks to Dave again. I've got two more of these babies. Whoever reads this could start a restraunt...and save money on the pest control for that restraunt. And if you start cooking up bugs you'd save all kinds of money. Dip those spiders in chocolate. You know I've always wanted to try chocolate covered crickets, everyone thinks I'm nuts. They do it all over the world. Heck, in Asia they eat LIVE squid as a test for bravery.

I remember way back in the day when I used to watch MTV (I think it was about 6-7 years ago when I stopped) I remember seeing Road Rules, only God knows what season it was, and they had a cook off between girls and boys & the girls made something really normal and good, and the boys made chocolate & cricket cookies. And they didn't tell the girls till after they had all eaten a cookie and one girl went and threw up. And I just remember thinking that I'd like to try those cookies b/c those girls were wusses.

Sunday, June 05, 2005

Acts 8:36-38NIV: As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

NKJV: Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" 37 Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." 38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.

Why doesn't the NIV have verse 37? They even number it like they are missing something, it jumps from 36 to 38! This distresses me deeply. Why would the NIV cut out the most important part? Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is God, that's the whole point of the Bible; we are to know God through His Son.

How are we supposed to understand who Jesus is if the truth gets edited out? If someone were only to be allowed to read this one passage, and they were handed a NIV they would walk away never knowing that Jesus is the Son of God!

Friday, June 03, 2005

Today is the 7th anniversary of our arrival to Illinois. Today, 7 years ago, I was filled with grief; deeply mourning the loss of my beloved friends & home. I was uprooted and dragged across the country to a place where we had nothing and no one. No place to live, no jobs lined up; just a boyfriend calling us, telling my mom he wanted her, but he couldn't be in Florida anymore.

Yet somehow she pulled us through, she got an apartment and a job within 48 hours of our arrival. Admist the chaos of setting up a new home, a teenager deeply angry and resentful, and probably quite a bit of heart ache (Dan chose to get us up here then hid from us saying we were stalking him) she was a pillar of strength.

I don't remember seeing her doubt our purpose, she never cried in front of us though I'm sure she did cry. And today I look back, fondly and see God's mighty Hand in it all. He guided us here, not to reunite mom & Dan, rather He brought us here so I might be saved. If not for the heart ached then I wouldn't be where I am today. I wouldn't have my husband and two children, and I most certainly couldn't say that I was going to heaven. But I can say it now. And I thank God for that pain 7 years ago.

Thursday, June 02, 2005

Let me think...I'll start with William I guess. He's doing wonderfully, God is really doing a great work in this little boy. He is talking so much more now, it is remarkable. Just a few of his new favorite things to say include: Baby (meaning birdy), Where did he go? (this is his first sentance!), More juice (his first two word combination), drink, milk, Sasha, cheese, go, Jesus, Amen, and Andy (Andy is his uncle and the only person on Chris' side of the family that William wasn't saying.) So, yes we are very excited. On the downside, he's going through another "I don't eat anything but cereal, noodles, or toast with cream cheese" phase. It's cute but frustrating.

Julianne is doing well, getting big. She is in love with her toes, looking at them, biting them, it's all about the toes. She continues to be enamored with her big brother, and is currently in love with my friend and her two daughters. Not that I blame her, Kristin is one heck of a person and her kids are so cute you could just eat them!

Sasha, our dog, drives me crazy. She still goes potty in the house occasionally, and barks all the time. But she's good with the kids, and she watches the house so...yea.

Our veggie garden is starting to take. I'm going to have to put these plants in the ground soon, the pots are getting crowded. My lavender is taking its sweet time, but I'm not sure how fast it is supposed to grow so whatever. And the flowers Kristin gave me are reviving nicely.

........

On a more personal note, God has been amazingly faithful to me. I've been having a lot of stress the last couple of weeks, yet without fail when I turn to Him and ask for help He gives me a deep sense of peace. Randomly I feel like I can't go on, that I'm not strong enough for this and when I cry out to Jesus it's like His hand is on my shoulder and He is whispering that everything is going to be alright. I can't begin to tell you how great that is.

I love that even when I'm alone on my floor in tears I'm not ever actually alone. I've got a support that never fails. And as if that weren't enough, God has blessed me with a new friend who always seems to manage to say exactly what I need to hear. What God puts on my heart she manages to confirm even without me saying anything. I don't know why He loves me this much, but I sure am glad He does!

About Me

Food lover, wanna be writer, mother, web designer, music lover, disciple of Christ.
More? The only thing I can say is that I'm very blessed. What else there is to say? Christ bore my sin so that I may stand before the Father in a righteousness that is not my own. I am forgiven, not because of who I am but because of who Christ is and what He has done. I am His, and every day I must strive to walk that out in faith. Each day I fail, but He is quick to forgive when I come to Him in broken hearted repentance. I can't begin to tell you how that amazes me.